BEST tuition Brighton

I've not had to advertise since I started tutoring, so this page has been neglected. I will endeavour to update it soon so as to keep it somewhat current at least, but - in the meantime - please do message me if you have any questions!

After relocating to Brighton last Easter and then leaving the school/therapeutic service I'd worked at for over 7 years, I made the somewhat scary leap to being self-employed in September 2024.

I had originally intended to promote my own tuition business (hence setting up this page), but before long I had enough work that I didn't need (or have time) to do this. Fantastic!

I have been doing a mix of in-person support for students with additional and/or mental health needs, and online English tuition - both of which I am thoroughly enjoying.

Currently, I am at capacity. However, please do message me if you need a tutor in future.

Thanks,

Julie

The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley...

I've been really busy the last couple of weeks with new starts with new students and new work opportunities - which is all very exciting and wonderful... but does mean that my best laid plans for posting regularly have gone slightly awry!

I wonder how many people recognise the quote above because they studied (or taught) Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men' at school?

See how much you can remember with this quiz...

Of Mice and Men: Full Book Quiz: Quick Quiz | SparkNotes Test your knowledge on all of Of Mice and Men. Perfect prep for Of Mice and Men quizzes and tests you might have in school.

We know that eating healthily, keeping hydrated, getting enough sleep, connecting with others, and exercising are all good for our mental health. Please don't beat yourself up if you don't manage to do these things though! It's about trying to do the best we can to look after ourselves, and our 'best' will naturally vary. Sometimes it's just really hard.

Personally, I find using a SAD lamp and taking Vitamin D at this time of year very helpful.

Regular meditation also has a significantly positive impact on my mental health...

I have some FREE (genuinely free) guest passes to try the 'Happier' app for a month. I like this app so much that I bought a subscription. It includes loads of single sessions and longer courses, for everyone from complete beginners to more experienced meditators, on all sorts of themes (including meditation sessions that might be particularly helpful if you are neurodivergent). If anyone would like to try this meditation app free for a month, just DM me and I'll pop your pass over to you!

https://www.happierapp.com/

It's 'World Mental Health Day'. As someone who worked for many years in a crisis service, supporting adolescents with complex mental health needs, this is a subject I am particularly passionate about.

I am sharing links for mental health support in Sussex, but also useful contacts for 11-18 year olds that can be accessed from anywhere: https://www.mind.org.uk/for-young-people/how-to-get-help-and-support/useful-contacts/

Please do reach out to someone if things feel difficult. We all need support sometimes...

Today is 'Mad Hatter Day' - celebrating Lewis Carroll's character in 'Alice in Wonderland', as illustrated (by John Tenniel) with a label in his hat showing 10/6.

Pondering on something useful to share linked to 'Mad Hatter Day', I came across the idea that the character represents BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) which is perhaps now more commonly known as EUPD (Emerging Unstable Personality Disorder).

I'm not sure that Carroll had this in mind when he wrote his book! However, it did make me think that I have been fortunate to receive training in DBT and have delivered DBT skills sessions.

One of the modules in DBT skills is 'Emotion Regulation'.

I have found that young people can often struggle to recognise and name their emotions.

Teaching vocabulary for emotions, and using an 'emotion wheel', can be a good starting point to help with this...

Apparently the theme of this year's National Poetry Day is 'counting'...

Hmm. Can I shoehorn Charles Bukowski's 'The Laughing Heart' into this theme? I absolutely LOVE this reading by Tom Waits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEbIuDuW7l8&ab_channel=BradleyBell

I think Bukowksi is urging us to embrace what life has to offer, live life to the full, and know that life is precious...

Aha!

Count your blessings.

.............................................

The Laughing Heart

your life is your life
don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can't beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvellous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

The Laughing Heart - Charles Bukowski - A Short Film A short film for an animation brief which could be based on anything spoken word that I consider Inspiring.The animation is based on 'The Laughing Heart' wri...

October is 'Black History Month UK'...

'Girl, Women, Other' is available as an audiobook on BBC Sounds. Yay! I really enjoyed reading it, so do recommend giving it a listen...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m000jmmn

'Bernardine Evaristo’s “Girl, Woman, Other” is an extraordinary novel that explores the interconnected lives of twelve characters, primarily women of African or Caribbean descent, over several decades. Each chapter provides a distinct voice and perspective, weaving together a complex and rich narrative that addresses themes of gender, race, and sexuality.

Evaristo’s innovative narrative style, blending prose and poetry, and her profound storytelling offer a vivid portrait of modern Britain and its complexities. The novel spans a century of life in Britain, from rural Northumberland to bustling London, capturing the diverse experiences of Black British women. Evaristo delves into their struggles, achievements, and relationships, offering a nuanced exploration of identity and belonging. This Booker Prize-winning novel is celebrated for its depth, diversity, and the way it challenges traditional narrative structures. It is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary literature and the multifaceted experiences of Black British women.'

https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/books/10-books-by-black-british-authors-you-should-read/

September is 'library card sign up month'...

Did you know that you can access thousands of free magazines, comics and ebooks if you have a library card?

What a fantastic resource!

I'm using the Libby app with Brighton & Hove City Libraries but check your local library's website for info (some use Borrowbox).

It's 'banned book week' and, according to reliable sources (playgroundequipment.com), the most frequently banned book of all time is 1984.

In case you've not read it, (quite possible as apparently 42 percent of people have lied about reading 1984!), here's the opening...

1
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him.

The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats. At one end of it a coloured poster, too large for indoor display, had been tacked to the wall. It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a metre wide: the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features. Winston made for the stairs. It was no use trying the lift. Even at the best of times it was seldom working, and at present the electric current was cut off during daylight hours. It was part of the economy drive in preparation for Hate Week. The flat was seven flights up, and Winston, who was thirty-nine and had a varicose ulcer above his right ankle, went slowly, resting several times on the way. On each landing, opposite the lift-shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran.